Coronavirus: Rural delivery nightmare after parcels go missing

Friday, 22 May 2020

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New Zealand Post has apologised to a customer after her two parcels, worth $500 each, vanished into thin air.

Three weeks after Angela Pullar made online purchases from Auckland-based retailers PB Tech and MacPac, nobody knows where her parcels are.

On Friday, the Waikato woman said she was 'sick of going around in circles' trying to get answers from NZ Post about the whereabouts of the packages, which include presents for her daughter's birthday this Sunday.

'We had two parcels worth $500 delivered from Auckland to the NZ Post depot in Hamilton by PBT Couriers,' Pullar said.

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NZ Post received more than 3.5 million parcels in the first two weeks after the country moved to Covid-19 alert level 3. (File photo)

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'NZ Post signed for them on May 5 and were supposed to complete the rural delivery but they haven't been processed.

'I can't track them or lodge a complaint because they haven't even been scanned into their system.'

Pullar said she had contacted NZ Post multiple times but was told she would have to ask PBT to open an investigation.

'Why would PBT be responsible for parcels NZ Post had signed for? Surely they're not.'

Despite that, Pullar contacted PBT Couriers who said NZ Post procedures meant they would have to deal with the state-owned postal service directly, not with her as a customer.

'But until NZ Post scan the parcels, PBT can't open an investigation — NZ Post just tell them they don't have the parcels or they're not in their system yet.

'These are so lost its not funny and nobody is doing anything about it,' she said.

On Friday afternoon, a NZ Post spokeswoman issued an apology to Pullar for the frustration and inconvenience caused by the situation.

'We take pride in providing a high level of service and we are very sorry that we have fallen short in this instance.

'We have contacted the customer directly today and it is clear that we could and should have done better on this occasion.'

A team was working to locate both parcels and communication with Pullar would continue until the matter was resolved, she said.

In some cases, other postal operators used NZ Post for final delivery of their product, usually for rural deliveries.

NZ Post chief executive, David Walsh, says eight out of 10 parcels are now being delivered within four days.

If an item went missing or was delayed, investigations should be lodged with the postal service operating at the time of sending, as they would liaise directly with their customer, she said.

An enquiry could then be raised with NZ Post to investigate further.

'This may seem strange to readers, but it is part of the agreement that we have with other postal operators who wish to use our service for final delivery.”

Pullar said she was pleased her situation was finally being taken seriously and hoped NZ Post would do the same for any other customers in her position.

'While my daughter won’t have her birthday present on time, I am still relieved they at least contacted me.'

Courier companies and NZ Post have been under pressure since New Zealand eased coronavirus restrictions earlier this month.

As the focus for businesses moved from 'essential' to 'safe' economic activity, Kiwis hit the online shops and delivery services experienced a sharp increase in demand.

NZ Post chief executive, David Walsh, said more than 3.5 million parcels were received in the first two weeks after the country moved to Covid-19 alert level 3.

While more than three million had since been delivered, there was still a record backlog, Walsh said.

'NZ Post wishes to sincerely apologise to customers who are waiting on an overdue parcel.

'We expect to have the 150,000 parcel backlog of items sent at the beginning of alert level 3, moving through our network and on their way to people over the next week.

'We’re really sorry it’s taking us so long to deliver these items, but hope that people understand that this influx was an unprecedented event, with Covid processing restrictions.'

As well as setting up temporary processing sites, NZ Post was operating 11 sites around the clock and had brought on hundreds of extra vans and people to help clear the backlog.

Items being ordered online would now move through the network without being held, Walsh said.

'Nationally we are now delivering eight out of 10 parcels within four days, (Auckland is six out of 10 within four days), but some deliveries in Auckland and Waikato could take up to 10 days.'